Bring home a forever friend
October 23, 2023 - World Habitat Day and World Animal Day are celebrated in October, and at Six Senses, every day. Bring home a forever friend while contributing to local sustainability initiatives and conservation efforts.
Woven into the local fabric, Six Senses is not just a place to escape to, but a destination to experience. Beyond the bed is the cuisine, culture, wellness, and surrounding nature.
Celebrating biodiversity
Group-wide, we are proud to have preserved and restored 23,391 square meters of habitat, while seven endangered and four more critically endangered species have been protected and conserved in 2022 globally.
At sea, Six Senses Laamu continues to protect 115,000 square meters of seagrass meadows in the Maldives, allowing fish, rays, sharks, and green sea turtles to thrive.
The story continues on shore. A protected nest area for endangered green sea turtles at Six Senses Con Dao in Vietnam resulted in 6,929 hatchlings making their way to the ocean. Mangroves provide an essential habitat for thousands of species, prevent land erosion, and filter pollutants. At Six Senses Fiji, 7,881 square meters of habitat were restored by planting native plants, including 600 mangrove saplings in 2022.
On land, 153 critically endangered langur monkeys are now VIP residents at Six Senses Ninh Van Bay in Vietnam. Over at Six Senses Ibiza, 600 injured hedgehogs on the island were rescued and cared for, where in Europe, populations are in rapid decline. And in Portugal, Six Senses Douro Valley works with a donkey sanctuary who assessed 429 rare Mirandas for welfare, rescuing 14 for extra care.
Wolves roaming in Rome
Aurelia the she-wolf represents the symbol of the Eternal City and can be found as a soft toy at Six Senses Rome. She reflects our partnership with the nature reserves in the Roman municipality which wolves still call their home, and with associations helping to conserve wolf populations across Italy. The hotel has committed stable funding to these efforts. Guests can visit the nature reserve to learn which actions are taken to promote their coexistence with humans.
The belt we want bigger - the green belt at Six Senses Fiji
Six Senses Fiji is home to a “green belt”, one of the last remaining strips of native forestry on Malolo Island and an important habitat for the Fijian Crested Iguanas to breed and survive. In 2016, a swathe of forested swampland uncovered one of the densest concentrations of the endangered crested iguanas, emphasizing the urgency to preserve them. Six Senses Fiji developed its infrastructure around this invaluable green belt when it opened in 2018, and from the initial 17 found, there are now 38 Fijian Crested Iguanas. The plush presence of iguanas adorning the resort villas is a charming nod to this conservation journey.
Living life like langurs at Six Senses Ninh Van Bay
Included in the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and Vietnam’s Red Book, Hon Heo Mountain behind the resort is one of the rare habitats that suit the Black-Shanked Douc Langur. As part of the project to raise awareness of this endangered langur, guests will find a mascot in each villa that has been produced sustainably by a local supplier. 100 percent of the toy’s revenue is donated to the resort’s Sustainability Fund for ongoing projects, including preserving the surrounding ecosystem. Naturally quite shy, it is a rare privilege to encounter these beautiful creatures. Their toy does indeed reflect their playfulness.
Miru the shark at Six Senses Kanuhura
My name is Miru, nickname for my Dhivehi name, Miyaru, which means shark. I am a nurse shark, and you can frequently meet me and my family on the reefs around Six Senses Kanuhura with our friends, the turtles, rays, and colorful fish. All sharks are protected in the Maldives, and we are lucky to call the Lhaviyani Atoll our home.
At Six Senses Kanuhura, marine conservation plays a crucial role in daily operations and activities. Reef sharks are not dangerous, and although curious, they will not approach humans unprovoked. Miru and friends are handmade through our partner Barefoot by local women in Sri Lanka in a convent workshop using offcuts from sustainable materials inspired by regional land and seascapes, earth, plants, and animals. The proceeds go directly to research and conservation efforts.
Hornbills at Six Senses Yao Noi
Our guests’ favorite host at Six Senses Yao Noi is the popular and adorable hornbill.
We work to protect hornbills as numbers have sadly dwindled in recent years. Our vegetation bears a variety of fruit that is a staple of their diet, and we also install artificial nests similar to their natural habitat. This is necessary as natural tree cavities occur in old trees which are vulnerable, and the process is slow and not always optimal for breeding. Our partnership with the Thailand Hornbill Project ensures we're doing everything we can to help our most iconic wildlife on the island.
Not only is our hornbill plushie a cute souvenir for guests, but the proceeds from all soft toy sales contribute directly to helping children in the local community. These eco-friendly dolls are lovingly crafted using strip cloth and leftovers from host uniforms, as well as villa curtains from the dedicated housekeeping department. By giving new life to these materials, Six Senses Yao Noi is promoting resourcefulness and reducing waste.
Take a Zighy goat home from Six Senses Zighy Bay
By taking home a Zighy goat soft toy, guests contribute to the resort’s Sustainability Fund. This directly improves the healthcare of around 700 goats, which can be seen nimbly hopping the mountainside behind the resort. It also boosts access to education for 372 local students from Dibba Girls School.
Finding your own Seychilly in the Seychelles
Félicité Island, home to Six Senses Zil Pasyon, is a nesting site for green and hawksbill turtles in the season running from October until April. In partnership with The Olive Ridley Project, we monitor nesting turtles and hatchlings to ensure the highest possible success of the turtle population (these big miracles start out tiny!). Seychilly the resort mascot, is named after a friendly juvenile hawksbill turtle who is often spotted nibbling the marine algae on the house reef.
Duney surfs the dunes
Six Senses Southern Dunes, The Red Sea has selected its symbol of conservation: the Arabian Red Fox, which is native to the Hajar and Dhofar Mountains but is vulnerable due to habitat degradation.
Working with local artisans, the resort has produced a fun and quirky soft toy named Duney from earth-friendly materials. Check out Duney’s “sadu” scarf, which is woven from wool in bright geometric patterns, paying homage to local Bedouin traditions. All proceeds from soft toy sales go to rewilding projects in collaboration with local partners.
Bring home a forever friend
We would usually say, “take only memories, leave only footprints”, but in this case, why not bring back a forever friend? A keepsake from your destination that helps towards creating positive and long-lasting impacts on local habitats and wildlife and serves as a charming memento.